Viral Donovan Mitchell Trade Idea To Atlanta Would Be The Wrong Move For the Hawks This Summer

Don't be surprised when the Atlanta Hawks are mentioned for several big-time players on the trade market this summer.

It makes some level of sense. Atlanta has a young core of Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu, two first-round picks in this year's draft (No. 8 and No. 23), and plenty of financial flexibility. The Hawks were one of the best teams in the NBA after the NBA Trade Deadline, going 20-6 overall and moving from 10th in the Eastern Conference to 6th and taking the New York Knicks to six games in the first round of the playoffs. Atlanta is still the only team to have beaten New York in the postseason.

Atlanta is already being mentioned as a potential suitor for Celtics star Jaylen Brown and it would not be a surprise that if the Cavaliers make Donovan Mitchell available this summer, Atlanta is going to be mentioned as a possible landings spot, especially since his former Utah head coach Quin Snyder is in Atlanta and the Hawks need a guard.

But if Atlanta were ever seriously interested in Mitchell, they would have to be very careful to not give up too much. This trade idea from Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley would not only have the Hawks massively overpay for Mitchell, but in a disastrous way that would leave Atlanta with no depth.

Here is the trade:

Hawks Receive: - Donovan Mitchell

CAVS RECEIVE: No. 8 pick in 2026 Draft, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade), 2028 first-round pick (via ATL, CLE, or UTA), and a 2030 first-round pick swap

This trade idea is INSANE 🤯

HAWKS RECEIVE:
- Donovan Mitchell

CAVS RECEIVE:
- No. 8 pick in 2026 Draft
- Onyeka Okongwu
- Zaccharie Risacher
- Jonathan Kuminga (sign-and-trade)
- 2028 first-round pick (via ATL, CLE, or UTA)
- 2030 first-round pick swap

(via @BleacherReport) pic.twitter.com/8MqsYQsiyj
— SleeperCavs (@SleeperCleCavs) May 27, 2026

Why this trade makes no sense for the Hawks

Donovan Mitchell Cleveland Cavalier — Apr 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates in the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Hawks are on an upward trajectory and have a lot of flexibility and assets at their disposal. Mitchell would certainly fit from skill standpoint, Atlanta needs a shot maker in the backcourt and someone who can get their own shot when it matters, something that was a huge issue for them in the postseason.

Atlanta would be moving a top eight pick in a talented draft (a draft that has plenty of players that could fill needs on their roster), their starting center, their top bench player (Kuminga), and two future draft picks for a 29-year old guard who is going to be eligible to sign an extension for nearly $300 million this offseason?

That would be too rich for the Hawks and one price that I don't think they are going to pay.

Here is what their roster would look like after that trade:

G- Donovan Mitchell
G- Nickeil Alexander-Walker
F- Dyson Daniels
F- Jalen Johnson
F- Corey Kispert
G- Buddy Hield
F- Mo Gueye
F- Asa Newell
No. 23 Pick
No. 57 Pick

Now, they would still be looking to add to this roster, but that would not be the kind of team that could make a real run in the Eastern Conference and one that would not be able to beat the New York Knicks in a seven game series. That is the team everyone will be chasing next season and this roster would fall short.

This does not mean that the Hawks should have zero interest in acquiring Mitchell, but like any other trade, it has to be for the right price. While not a direct comparison, think back to the trade the Hawks made last summer for Kristaps Porzingis. Atlanta moved Terance Mann and the No. 22 pick to the Nets in a three-team deal with Boston. It may not have worked out, but Atlanta paid a low price for a player that raised their ceiling a lot and played well when he was on the court.

This would also go against the philosophy that Hawks president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh talked about after the season ended:

"We are not one player away from this, the best iteration of this team is going to be through development and our players currently getting better. We're really excited about the future and what holds there, from the draft to the flexibility moving forward, all that stuff. We're in a good place, position set up moving forward, and our coaching staff has just been remarkable this year."

That does not sound like a man that is ready to mvoe that kind of capital for a very good, but not elite player like Mitchell.

The Hawks may make big trades this offseason, but that one is not going to be the one.

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